From the Liveblog of
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Netanyahu at Yad Vashem: Hamas guided by same goals as the Nazis, but we can defend ourselves now
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Eight decades after the end of the Holocaust, Israel again faces a “ruthless and brutal” enemy who seeks its destruction, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares at the official state Yom Hashoah memorial ceremony at Yad Vashem.
Hamas’s attack on October 7 was “not a Holocaust not because of an absence of intention to annihilate us but because of an absence of ability,” he states, insisting that the Palestinian terror group had the “same intention” to wipe out the Jewish people as the Nazis.
“The murderers of Hamas are guided by the exact same goal,” he insists, noting that unlike during the Holocaust, today Israel “has a force that can defend it.”
Israel will “complete the elimination of [Hamas’s] capabilities” and free the hostages, he promises.
“Our enemies made a grave mistake. They thought we were a weak society. They were mistaken. At the moment of truth, we stood shoulder to shoulder, filled with determination, resilience and power. Our test is to continue and stand together until we reach victory because these are fateful days and this is the only way to guarantee our existence and our future.”
